Bahrain’s aromatic chicken-and-rice dish, perfumed with black lime, warm spices, tomato and slow-cooked onions.
Machboos is a Gulf rice dish with many regional versions. Bahraini preparations are distinguished by layered spice, dried black lime and rice cooked in the seasoned chicken broth so every grain carries the flavor of the pot.
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook
- 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Serves
- 6
- Cuisine
- Bahraini
- Course
- Main Dish
The recipe
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Before you start
Brown the chicken and onions, build a tomato-and-spice broth with black lime, gently cook the chicken, then use that broth to cook the basmati rice. Return the chicken for service so the meat stays intact and the rice remains fluffy.
Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Large heavy pot with lid paid link
- Fine sieve or measuring jug paid link
- Chef’s knife paid link
- Rice colander paid link
Method
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Heat oil in a heavy pot. Brown chicken pieces in batches, then set aside.
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Add onions and cook for 10 minutes until golden. Add garlic, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric and pepper; cook 1 minute.
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Add tomatoes and cook until softened and concentrated, about 8 minutes.
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Return chicken. Add black limes, salt and water or stock. Cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
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Lift out chicken and keep warm. Measure 800 ml of the cooking liquid, adding water if necessary.
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Drain rice and add it to the pot with the measured broth. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on very low heat for 15 minutes.
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Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes. Fluff gently.
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Arrange chicken over the rice and finish with herbs and lemon.
Chef’s notes
- Pierce dried black lime so its flavor can enter the broth.
- Do not stir basmati repeatedly while it cooks; this breaks the grains.
- Measure the broth before cooking the rice for consistent texture.
Tips and variations
- For stronger roasted flavor, brown the cooked chicken briefly under a hot grill before serving.
- Use good-quality dried black lime; stale loomi can taste dusty rather than citrusy.
- Serve the rice from the bottom of the pot as well, where the concentrated spices settle.
Serve with
Serve with a simple cucumber-tomato salad, yogurt, pickles or a fresh chili sauce.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat covered until the chicken and rice are steaming hot throughout.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
- 690 kcal
- Calories
- 43 g
- Protein
- 72 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Fat
Allergens
No major allergens are inherent when made with neutral oil and verified stock. If using ghee, contains milk.
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Questions
What is loomi?
Loomi is dried lime, a key Gulf seasoning with tart, earthy and slightly fermented citrus notes.
Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, but bone-in chicken gives the cooking broth more depth and is preferable for machboos.
